This post is the twenty-first in a series in which we reached out to municipal candidates to ask their heritage platform. Responses will be posted in the order received.
Shane Potvin was the twenty-first candidate to respond. He is running for the Ward 5 seat in the City of Windsor – the catchment area of which East Windsor between Pillette and Lauzon and includes the neighbourhood of Riverside.
Do you support the City of Windsor undertaking a feasibility study for the restoration and future use of the Jackson Park Bandshell?
Yes, I support a feasibility study for the Jackson Park Bandshell. Before the city makes any decision about a structure with that much history and community attachment, it needs a clear picture of what restoration would actually require and what future uses are viable. A feasibility study is the responsible first step. It gives council and the public the information needed to make an informed decision rather than defaulting to demolition. It is important that the Jackson Park Bandshell remains owned and maintained by the City, but is for the community.
What role do you believe the municipality should play in determining the Bandshell’s future?
The municipality has a responsibility to be the steward of places that belong to the whole community. The Bandshell is not just a structure, it is part of Windsor’s shared memory, especially within the Windsor-Detroit music and black communities. Council should lead a genuine public engagement process, take the findings of the feasibility study seriously, and explore partnerships with community organizations, cultural groups, and other levels of government to find a path to restoration and activation. Letting it deteriorate by default is not an option.
What role should council play in strengthening heritage conservation overall?
When municipalities treat heritage as an obstacle to development it sends a signal that historic places are disposable. When municipalities treat heritage as an asset it unlocks a different kind of investment and community pride. I believe that council should ensure Windsor’s Heritage Register is current and defensible ahead of the January 2027 provincial deadlines, support adequate resourcing for heritage staff and the Municipal Heritage Committee, and make heritage impact a meaningful part of every development review rather than an afterthought.
On a personal note, I own a property (1000 Drouillard) that had been listed in 2020 but not formally designated and the process has been extremely slow and needs to be expedited.
How should Windsor balance growth, development, and the protection of historic places?
Some of the most desirable and economically vibrant neighbourhoods in Ontario are the ones that kept their historic fabric while welcoming new investment. Ford City in Ward 5 is a good example of that. The character of Drouillard Road, its older buildings, scale, and history, is exactly what makes it worth investing in. I support gentle density, adaptive reuse, and development that builds on neighbourhood character rather than erasing it. The City should use every tool available, including Community Improvement Plans, heritage easements, and design guidelines, to make it easier to build with heritage rather than against it.
What is your favourite heritage landmark in Windsor?
The Drouillard Road underpass at Wyandotte Street East. It is a piece of infrastructure that most people drive through without thinking twice, but for Ford City residents it is a threshold. It marks the entrance to one of Windsor’s most historically significant working-class neighbourhoods, built by the families who powered the auto industry and shaped this city. I was genuinely glad to see it included on the Heritage Register because it represents exactly the kind of place that deserves protection — not grand or showy, but deeply rooted in who Windsor actually is.
Why does it matter to you?
Because heritage is not only about grand buildings and formal architecture. It is about the everyday structures that carry the memory of a community and tell the story of the people who built it. The Drouillard underpass is Ford City’s gateway. Every time I walk or drive through it I think about the generations of workers and families who did the same. Protecting it sends a message that Ward 5’s history matters, that the people who built this part of Windsor matter, and that we are serious about honouring that legacy as the neighbourhood continues to grow and change.
To follow Shane Potvin’s campaign, visit .
Featured image courtesy of Shane Potvin
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